Solenostemon plant named ‘Witch Doctor’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Solenostemon  plant named ‘Witch Doctor’, characterized by its upright and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; purple-colored stems; and deeply lobed green-colored leaves with dark purple-colored margins and venation.

Botanical designation: Solenostemon scutellarioides.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Witch Doctor’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Solenostemon plant, botanically known as Solenostemon scutellarioides, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Witch Doctor’.

The new Solenostemon plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Solenostemon scutellarioides ‘Sparkler’, not patented. The new Solenostemon plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single plant from within a population of plants of ‘Sparkler’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Kintnersville, Pa. in 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Solenostemon plant by tip cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Kintnersville, Pa. since 2005, has shown that the unique features of this new Solenostemon plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Solenostemon have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Witch Doctor’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Witch Doctor’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Solenostemon:

-   -   1. Upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Purple-colored stems.     -   4. Deeply lobed green-colored leaves with dark purple-colored         margins and venation.

Plants of the new Solenostemon can be compared to plants of the parent, ‘Sparkler’. Plants of the new Solenostemon differ from plants of ‘Sparkler’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Solenostemon and ‘Sparkler’ differ in stem         coloration as plants of ‘Sparkler’ have yellow green-colored         stems.     -   2. Plants of the new Solenostemon and ‘Sparkler’ differ in leaf         coloration as plants of ‘Sparkler’ have bright yellow-colored         leaves with dark green-colored margins and red purple-colored         markings.

Plants of the new Solenostemon can also be compared to plants of the Solenostemon ‘Alligator’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Kintnersville, Pa., plants of the new Solenostemon differed from plants of ‘Alligator’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Solenostemon had deeply lobed leaves         whereas plants of ‘Alligator’ had leaves with scalloped margins.     -   2. Plants of the new Solenostemon and ‘Alligator’ differed in         leaf color as plants of ‘Alligator’ had very dark green-colored         leaves with variable cream, yellow, purple, and red markings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Solenostemon plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Solenostemon.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Witch Doctor’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typical leaves of ‘Witch Doctor’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTIONS

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements were grown in Encinitas, Calif. during the spring in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse and under commercial production conditions During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 24° C., night temperatures averaged 16° C. and light levels averaged 4,000 foot-candles. Plants had been growing for 13 weeks when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Solenostemon scutellarioides ‘Witch     Doctor’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Solenostemon     scutellarioides ‘Sparkler’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About six days at             temperatures of about 29° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven to eight days at             temperatures of about 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 14 to 16             days at temperatures of about 29° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 18 to 20             days at temperatures of about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Compact and mounded plant             habit; freely branching habit with about seven to eight             primary branches per plant; primary branches with secondary             branches at potentially every node; vigorous growth habit             and moderate to fast growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 17 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 25 cm.         -   Branch description.—Length: About 19 cm. Diameter: About             6 mm. Internode length: About 3.8 cm. Texture: Pubescent;             longitudinally ridged. Color: Close to 187A.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Length:             About 6.4 cm. Width: About 6.2 cm. Shape: Roughly ovate;             deeply lobed. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Deeply             lobed. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Surfaces, smooth,             glabrous; margins, sparsely pubescent; surfaces rugose with             prominent venation. Venation pattern: Pinnate; reticulate.             Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 146B;             margins and venation, close to N92A. Developing leaves,             lower surface: Close to 187A. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: Close to 146A; margins, close to N92A; venation,             close to 146D or 187B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface:             Close to 146C to 146D; venation, close to 146D or 187A.             Petioles: Length: About 2.4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Scattered pubescence.             Color, upper surface: Close to 187A. Color, lower surface:             Close to N92A. -   Flower description: Flower development has not been observed on     plants of the new Solenostemon. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Solenostemon has not been observed. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Solenostemon have been     observed to tolerate temperatures from about 2° C. to about 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct Solenostemon plant named ‘Witch Doctor’ as illustrated and described. 